Yes, I have just invented that word.
Technology use in the classroom is debatable when it comes to usability and rationale of tasks. We (Active ELTers) have been discussing this topic for a long time now and one feature I believe is worth mentioning is that, if you use interactive boards, chromebooks, padlets, projectors, etc you are already using technology in your classroom.
So, what’s new about that, you ask? I have been learning a lot from Alice Turibio, my partner at circular.club and as she is a...

Since we are at the beginning of a new term or school year, we like reading articles and posts that are going to be useful.
As you know, gamification is the new in-thing, so I will provide 3 ways of using edutainment in your classroom.
A paramount point to be taken into consideration, entertainment wise, is that, if it is misused (wrong or unclear purposes) it can trigger parents and/or supervisor’s complaints, or even worse, students might not see the point of the task or might even not learn anything...

This is a fairly broad topic with a myriad of issues, such as the observer and observee’s attitudes towards having his/her lessons assessed. There is also the matter of how many times a teacher should be observed in a term, and when (before/after tests, two weeks after the first lesson, etc), having in mind the assessment factor.
Attitude
The attitude changes according to the observation purposes: development, (quick) problem-solving, assessment, etc.
When a teacher is being observed for developmental reasons, usually he or she tends to be more open...

Had you been asked to divide your life into sub-categories, how many (and what) would there have been? Exactly. This how a teacher’s mind is all the time. Especially when in a classroom, while teaching.
During a lesson we are always concerned with our student’s mental processes - if they are processing the information being given, if they are accepting it, if they are following the steps, if they are acquiring language or skills, if they are overwhelmed, if their affective filters are high or low, etc.
At...

There is a fine line between being friends and treating colleagues with professionalism. Especially when points of view differ.
The ELT world is full of active communities and groups who meet at conferences or even for a ‘night out’ in order to share ideas in a more relaxed way. And one of the things I love the most is that surely when we are together, we are stronger. To begin with, we make our living by sharing our knowledge with our students and sometimes, we even share pieces...

Most of us, ELT teachers, ascribe our lack of time to the number of lessons we teach in a week. I, oftentimes, find myself trying to design a lesson, study for an exam, read and take care of the house at the same time. Needless to say that this is, in the least, exhausting. Other times, we find ourselves fastened upon a vicious cycle, trying the same old recipes and getting nowhere. But, why don’t we think outside the ELT box?
Juliana Mota, a teacher whom I have met...

As an EFL teacher, you must have already realised that the roles we play are as volatile as this ever-evolving world we live in.
Let’s start by focusing on some of the changes our role has been through in the classroom: We are not the source of all wisdom and power anymore (if we have ever been), as students have their devices (smartphones, tablets, Chromebooks, etc) right there and then to investigate if what was said is the absolute truth. However, we are still a source of guidance. We...

This year’s international conference, that took place in Caxias do Sul, was, as expected, amazing. I was not sure I would be able to participate until the last minute, therefore I didn’t submit any papers, however, I had the chance of “relaxing” and enjoying the 'backstage'.
These types of conferences will surely provide you with a holistic view of the EFL area, and I say that firstly because you will able to meet teachers from various backgrounds: Teachers who love using technology in their classroom (with a learning purpose, of...

Last month I had a rather uncomfortable experience when one of my blog lessons was shared with a group of teachers. The vexation occurred when I got to know that the lesson was being shared without the credits.
The topic of the lesson was about the trucker’s strike that took place in May here in Brazil. Thus, let me describe how the preparation took place:
First of all, I decided that it was of paramount importance that my young adult students (advanced / 15-18) were more aware of what had...

I am genuinely grateful for being a teacher and for working with the ELT area. I first had the idea of becoming a teacher when I was only nine years old. I used to play with a blackboard and chalk and I used to teach my younger brother and his friends how to read and write. Only when I reached the age of fifteen, did I realise I wanted to teach the English language, its components, its history, its culture, its literature, its beauty.
One of the things I...